Improvement in show-boxes



T. HAVILND'. Show BOX.

Patented Dec. O, 1878.

l AAA; Il y," A4 N'PETEES, FHOTO-LITHQGRPHER. WASHWGTON. D C.

@Mm MM2/f1@ UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

THEoDoEE HAVILAND, 0E NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEM ENT IN SHOW-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 210,689, dated December 10, 1878; application filed September 28, 1878.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THEononE HAvILAND, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful boxaor case for holding, protecting, and exhibiting plates for table use7 of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to cases or boxes for holding plates, and to protect them from injury; and consists of a case divided into compartments, and having a hinged cover, which closes down upon the body of the case, so as to cover about one-third ot' the upper portion of the platesrwhen they are in said compartment-s, resting upon their edges; also provided with a hinged portion on its front side, which swings down to uncover the central portion of the front plates, and leaves the lower part covered, and which can be closed to protect the plate-s from dust when not on exhibition.

The box or case is constructed entirely wit-hout nails, heilig tongued together at its corners, and the dividing-strips notched into the sides of the box to keep them in place.

I am aware that cases or boxes have been made before having compartments; but I am not aware that they have ever been made prel vious to my invention having all the characteristics of my box or case.

In order that persons skilled in the art may malte and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it, referring to the drawings which form part of' this specification, and in which the same letters indicate like parts in the several figures.

Figure l is a top view of my box with its hinged cover raised to show the compartments and plates resting on their edges in some of them. The dividing-strip will be seen notched into the sides of the box at a a a. The sides ot the box will be seen tongued together at their corners, as well as its cover.

Fig. 2 is a front view, showing`eover A closed upon box B, to cover the upper portion of the plates E E, the hinged front piece dropped down to uncover the central portion 6i' plates E E only. When it is desired to exhibit the plates more fully, the cover A is raised, as in Fig. l; and when it is desired to cover the whole of the plates, cover A and front piece, G, are both shut, and fastened to each other by fastening H.

For shipping expensive china plates and for exhibiting them in store, for protection from injury and dust, and for convenience of handling, and for ascertaining if there are any plates missing, this arrangement is particularly desirable, and is demanded, and the boxes are largely sold for weddin g and special presents.

Having now fully .described my invention and its uses, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A box or case for holding plates on their side, tongued together at its corners, provided with vertical partitions only, notched into the sides of the box to secure them irrnly in place, having one of its sides hinged to raise and lower, and having a hinged and chambered or recessed cover, arranged, as described and shown, to close down over the whole case and cover the upper front surface of the plates, as shown.

THEODORE HAVILAND.

Witnesses:

Trios. l?. How, Jas. M. IIIcKs. 

